Faith in the Fallen
by x-MissChief-x
Summary: All Human Twilight. Bella Swan arrives in Forks only to be swept into the mystery that surrounds the Cullen family. NO VAMPIRES - But what would the Cullens secret be if it wasn't immortality? What does the complicated family have to hide? And why?
1. Secrets

**A/N: **Okay, so yeah, I should probably update one of my other two fics, rather than starting a new one. But what can I say? When inspiration strikes, it just won't let up. Hopefully by getting this out in the open, I'll free my mind up a bit and be able to focus on my other stories.

**Disclaimer:** I stole the characters from Stephanie Meyer, but the story is all mine.

* * *

_**A New Start**_

The office was cramped and dark; the single undersized window only letting in the pale grey light of the rain clouds, that forever plagued the small town of Forks. There were stacks of paper and folders piled high along the walls of the, already crowded, room. The large oak desk, overflowing with debris, occupied at least half of the free space; with two identical - and equally uncomfortable - plain wooden chairs, one either side of the dominating feature. Scattered throughout the room were pictures of two children - one male, one female - displaying moments from significant stages of their lives. However, Carlisle Cullen was only interested in the five files that lay open on the desk before him.

Dr Cullen had found himself in the offices of many social workers over the course of his short adult life, yet this was by far the most unnerving. Just a tiny room hidden at the back of Forks Police Department, it was certainly the most unprofessional of all those he had seen before it. Yet it was here, in this very office, that the future of his family was to be decided.

The unimposing woman, who currently sat behind the desk, was doing nothing to ease his nerves. She was currently re-reading - for the fourth time - each of the files that bore his children's names. With every flick her eyes made across the paper, Carlisle's heart threatened to stop. He had been waiting for her decision for almost two hours now, and he very much doubted he could take another moment. Finally, after once again sighing upon reading the last file, she frowned up at her guest.

"This is indeed a very serious matter, Dr Cullen. What you are asking is highly unorthodox." Sue Clearwater replaced the open file on her desk and removed her reading glasses. "However, I do understand your request." She sighed and reached, once again, for the letter she had received from the Cullen's previous social worker.

"We are just trying to do right by the children, Ms Clearwater. We understand that school and social-interaction is vital for them. But, as you can see from their files, it is not always easy for them. My wife and I just think it will be best for them to start again, with a clean slate."

"You are prepared to vouch for these children, Dr Cullen? A well respected Doctor, such as yourself, is willing to put your career and reputation on the line?"

"Ms Clearwater, I would give my life for these children, for_ my children_."

"Very well. But we shall have to handle this carefully." Sue Clearwater passed Carlisle a binder that she had previously prepared. "This contract shows that 'your' children are free to attend Forks High School from the start of this term. Their personal histories will be kept from the school and their permanent records will show nothing but the information you have proposed." Carlisle's features visibly relaxed at her agreement to his terms.

"Thank you, Ms Clearwater. You have no idea how…"

"However…" Sue's piercing voice cut across the Doctor's grateful tones "…There will certainly be some stipulations. If - at any point in time - one of your charges so much as puts a toe out of line, I will be obligated to hand-over all the information I have on your family. I know that you are only doing this for the good of _your_ children, Dr Cullen, but I must consider the welfare of the children of this town."

"Of course. We are happy to help, in any way that we can, to make this easier on everyone."

"Good. Now I am also required to inform the authorities of your family's _varied_ histories. However, the police department should not have to even look at these files, unless one of the children is found to be involved in any illegal activities whilst residing in Forks."

"Naturally. And I can assure you that not a single one of them will cause this town any problems."

"Well that remains to be seen." Her eyes flashed in warning, however, Sue did not voice her scepticism. "Now, I believe it has been agreed that your wife - Esme Cullen - will be staying at home and supervising your charges whilst you, yourself, will be taking a position at Forks General Hospital?"

"Yes, as you can see from our account history, our family is comfortably sustained on my income and the various benefits awarded to us. It has always been a stipulation, of all our social workers, that one of us is to stay available to the children at all times. We shall, of course, have no issues with this request."

"Excellent. Now all that remains is for yourself and your family to each sign the agreement." Carlisle stood with the binder and held his hand out for Ms Clearwater to shake.

"Thank you again. I'll return the contract on my way to work tomorrow morning."

"One last thing, Dr Cullen." Carlisle paused at the door and turned to face Sue, who was now standing to the side of her desk with another folder in her hands. "This is off the record, of course?" She waited for him to nod his consent before continuing. "As you may already know, I am from the Quileute reservation and…and in situations such as this, I find myself torn. On the one hand I have my allegiance to this town and your children, in my position as a social worker, but on the other hand I have my duty to my own people."

"Dr Cullen, I am an Elder on the reservation and as such, I am involved in making crucial decisions that involve the running of our community. I apologise, but I feel that it is my duty to pass your children's files onto the other elders."

"If that is what you feel you have to do, I can hardly argue with you Ms Clearwater." Carlisle Cullen's eyes began to darken and for the first time since they had initially met, Sue Clearwater glimpsed the truly desperate, protective father that lay behind his polite façade. "But I find myself concerned as to what this means for my family and their safety."

"This is a second agreement that I have drawn up, in order to protect both of our interests." She stepped forward, offering Carlisle the folder. "It states that no one from the reservation is to bother your family, in any way, or betray your secrets to anybody outside of the Quileutes. In turn, your family will not be permitted on any part of the reservation. I took the liberty of slipping in a map which clearly indicates the boundaries of Quileute land." Her shoulders squared "Do we have an agreement, Dr Cullen?"

"If you can vouch for my family's security?" It was Carlisle's turn to wait for Sue to nod her assent. "Then we do indeed have an agreement, Ms Clearwater."

"You may leave the first contract with my secretary. However, I would prefer it if you mailed the second to the address I have attached to the file."

"You will have them both by tomorrow." Carlisle bowed his head and opened the door to leave. "It has been a pleasure doing business with you, Ms Clearwater. I hope to see you again soon."

"Not too soon, please Dr Cullen. Just try and keep those kids out of trouble."

* * *

He paused to absorb the scene his family created, seated together in their spacious lounge, chatting and laughing; they had certainly come a long way. Edward - as usual - was seated at the piano, playing one of Esme's favourite songs, as she sat on the stool beside him. Jasper and Alice were sat cross-legged on the floor, with their backs lent against the sofa where Rosalie and Emmet were seated. The boys were both facing their generous flat-screen television and, judging by the controllers in their hands and the frowns on their faces, were attempting to beat each other on their latest video game. The girls, however, were avidly involved in their own conversation; with Alice leaning her head on the sofa and Rosalie curled into Emmet's side. Yes, they had definitely come a long way from the children he had first adopted.

"Well?" It was Carlisle's wife, Esme, that was the first to notice his presence in the room. However, at her exclamation, the rest of the family soon quieted and turned their focus on him. "What did she say?"

"Well..." Carlisle began, attempting to hold them in suspense. "...You will all be starting Forks High School in two weeks time, and - as far as anyone else is aware - you will have completely clean records!" Dr Cullen beamed at his family, as Esme threw herself towards him. "It's a fresh start."

"Oh-my-God! We have so much we have to do!" Alice squealed as she pulled Jasper to his feet. "We'll have to go shopping for school stuff and new outfits! This is going to be,like, so much fun!"

"Do we have to?" Emmett groaned as he tucked the petite girl under his bear-like arm. "Isn't it bad enough that we have to go to school? Are you seriously going to make me suffer through the torture of shopping for it as well?"

"Suck it up, mate." Jasper playfully slapped Emmet on the back. "If I have to do it, you'll have to suffer it as well."

"Lets all try and remember to stick to the rules this time, yeah? I'd like to just get my senior year done and out of the way, _without _having to move again." Rosalie stood and faced her 'siblings' with her hands on her hips.

"Ha!" It was Edward who scoffed, staying seated but turning his body to face his 'sister'. "You can hardly complain, Rosalie. After all, it was _your _file that caused the most concern…"

"Come on now; Edward, Rosalie. Can you try and be civil, at least until we have got everything sorted out?" Esme's voice was low and motherly, but with an underlying forcefulness that was not to be argued with.

"So, what do we have to do?" Edward asked, quickly changing the subject and making his way towards the group.

"Just sign these two agreements and the rest will be taken care of by your social worker." Carlisle handed the binder and folder over to his children, before slipping his arm around his wife's waist and pulling her towards the kitchen. "So, what's for dinner my angel?"

"Well, lets get this over with. We only have two weeks of freedom left, and I don't plan to waste any of it." Emmet boomed after signing the forms and waiting for the others to do the same. "Baseball anyone?"

* * *

A/N: So there it is, first chapter. Tell me what you think.

* * *


	2. The Unexpected

**A/N:** Hi guys, sorry its taken so long. I've been furiously working to build up my uni money!

Um, _italics_ are thoughts, as usual.

**Disclaimer:** Alright! I confess! I don't own the characters. However, I do own this story, so there.

* * *

_**The Unexpected**_

"Hi! Isabella Swan right?" He held out his hand, for the new-girl to shake, and smiled eagerly.

"Um, it's just Bella actually." She hesitated before accepting the boys hand. Bella Swan was quiet, shy and completely unused to the attention she was receiving at this new school. In Phoenix she was practically a ghost, but in Forks it would appears as though she had become something of a local celebrity. _I suppose I have Charlie to thank for that._

"I'm Mike Newton, you should definitely hang with me and my friends."

_My friends and I_, Bella corrected in in the privacy of her own mind, as Mike lead her out of the classroom and towards her next lesson. And that is how it started. Bella's quiet and non-descript life ended on her first day of Forks High School.

Mike took Bella to her lessons and showed her who, he thought, she should be sitting with in each. He' would just walk right over to people and hug them - _well that weird handshake/hug thing that guys do anyway _- introduce her and then go to his own lesson. But the real kicker is that each one of the people, she was made to sit with, were just as eager to be her friend as Mike was. This was certainly something she had never experienced before. In phoenix Bella had had a handful of 'surface' friends, who she would sit with in class and make polite conversation with at lunch. But, in reality, back home she had only really socialised with her mother; _it's a little sad, right?_

At lunch, Mike took Bella to the biggest table in the centre of the cafeteria and introduced her to the rest of his friends; _Eric, Ben, Angela, Lauren, Jessica…I can't really remember the rest. _She just smiled politely and waved, before being pushed into the seat between Jessica Stanley and Angela Webber, ready for the interrogation - she had had faced in every class - to start again.

"So, Isabella right?" Jessica enquired, a little too sweetly.

"Bella, actually." Bella looked around the laughing group. "Are they always so…?"

"Enthusiastic?" Angela supplied with a smile. "No, this is all for you."

"You're the shiny new toy." Jessica explained rolling of her eyes. "We don't get new-kids very often, everyone in school has been waiting for you to arrive. The boys decided we needed more girls, so you should count yourself lucky."

"I should?" Bella asked bemused.

"Look around Bella. See the jealous glances and wistful looks? You just got yourself in with the cool-crowd, everyone wants to be one of us." Jessica seemed proud of herself, as she turned to vie for Mikes attention.

"Don't pay too much attention to her, we're not all that bad." Angela smiled sweetly. "Just watch-out for Lauren, she doesn't really like anyone who steels her attention."

"So, your cars kinda interesting." Jessica rejoined the conversation, as Ben had won Mike's interest.

"Um, yeah…It was a present. My dad is friends with a family from the reservation. I used to spend a lot of time with them when I was younger. I guess they did it up for me, as a kind of 'welcome back' present." The girls nodded and we fell into an awkward silence. Bella had never really been good at conversation.

* * *

"Oh my god…" The reaction was involuntary, but she was too stunned to be embarrassed. "Who are they?"

"That would be the Cullens" Jessica turned to watch the group stroll across the room and sit at the smallest, most isolated, table in the canteen.

They were five of the most breath-taking people Bella had every seen. They were perfect and dressed immaculately; all interestingly beautiful, in their own individual ways. No-one else in the canteen, even came close to them and she couldn't help but stare as everything else seemed to fade into the background.

The tiny raven-haired girl at the end of the table, let out a tinkling laugh. She was wearing an outrageously stylish outfit - the type you only see in magazines or on a catwalk - that most people would have deemed too over the top for everyday wear. Yet it seemed right on her. She was short and unimposing yet she had so much presence as she, practically, danced towards their table. She was currently staring contently at the tall, lean, boy beside her. His hair was blonde and wavy, but well controlled. The look matched his pristine white shirt and, well tailored, grey jeans. The pair were not talking, yet they seemed completely engrossed in each others presence; their hands lying next to each other, almost touching.

Beside the blonde boy, sat an equally golden-haired female. She was simply stunning, there was no other way to describe her. Her hair flowed, in beautiful waves, to just below her shoulders. She had sauntered towards their table, with graceful movements that had drawn the eye of almost every male in the canteen. She had a body that would have looked at home on an underwear model; not willowy like most supermodels, but slim and perfectly curvaceous. Her tight, slightly flared, jeans and high heels exaggerated her impossibly long legs and her tight tank-top and cropped cardigan accentuated her tiny waist and the swell of her hips and bust. She was the type of girl that made Bella want to hide her plain looks and disappear forever; there was no way she could ever compete with someone like that. Beside the blonde sat a giant. The boy was tall and imposing with his huge muscular body. He sat with his arm slung around the back of the girls chair, his thumb gently stroking down the side of her waist. He was obviously possessive of her; the way he had moved to her side and taken her hand, as they walked towards their table, had already shown Bella that. His baggy jeans had an overly casual appearance, however, his tight black t-shirt highlighted his toned chest and completed his imposing look. He was a person that Bella could have been terrified of, if it was not for his face. He had a cheeky smile, dark curly hair and innocent eyes that made him look, almost, child-like and contrasted deeply with his partners harsh stare…which was currently focussed on Bella. _Apparently the blonde is just as protective as the boy is._

Bella quickly looked towards the last member of the group, before the stunningly beautiful girl thought she was trying to 'check her boyfriend out'. Her heart stopped as she took in the Adonis before her. He was marginally shorter than the other two boys, but still over the average height for someone of their age. His copper hair fell loosely over his face as he smirked at something the hulking giant, next to him, had said. He was dressed simply in scruffy blue jeans and a white t-shirt with a beige shirt over the top. He was simply amazing and Bella could not bear to turn away.

"They were the 'new-kids' before you turned up. They've only been here about five months." Angela had also turned to inspect the new-comers.

"They're, like, totally weird though. They don't talk to anyone else, they never even tried to make friends."

"Once, this kid sat at their table - for a dare - and the big guy just picked him up and sat him somewhere else!" Eric eagerly smiled at Bella, presumable waiting for her to be impressed by his story.

"Like, whatever Eric. He just moved the guy's tray to another table and glared at him till he moved. He isn't Superman." Jessica rolled her eyes and moved forward, so that she blocked Eric from the conversation. "The big guy, in the middle, is Emmett Cullen. He's, like totally, amazing at every sport, but refuses to join any of the teams."

"Which is why we still suck at everything." Angela grinned.

"And see the blonde that's hanging all over him?" Jessica ignored Angela's comment and pointed towards the stunning girl, who had just entwined her hand with Emmett's spare one. "That's Rosalie Hale. She thinks she's better than everyone else, but everybody can tell that she is a complete slut."

"Once, I saw her and Emmett come out of the janitors closet and her make-up was all smudged and his shirt was undone. It was really obvious what they were up to!" Eric had pushed his head between Bella and Jessica's, and was wearing the same enthusiastic look as before.

"Get lost Eric!" Jessica pushed his face away from hers. "Anyway, she goes after everyone's boyfriends. She's broken up, like, twenty couples since she got here."

"I don't think that's true Jess, I mean; her and Emmett look really together. I think their pretty serious."

"I wouldn't count on it Ange, I heard she got kicked out of her old school for having an affair with a teacher and that's why they had to move here. _Anyway…_" Jessica stressed, to emphasise her dislike of being interrupted. "The blonde guy beside Rosalie - the one that looks like he has something stuck up his ass - that's her twin brother Jasper Hale. He is always skulking around, I don't think anyone has ever even heard him speak. He is always stalking after Alice - the short one - he is totally creepy. His girlfriend, Alice Cullen, is Emmett's sister. I think she's mentally retarded or something."

"Jess! You can't say something like that!" Angela scolded her friend.

"What? Come on, Ange; even you have to admit that she's weird! She's always skipping down the corridors and humming to herself. It's like she has the mind of a five year old!"

Bella had stopped listening to Jessica's inane babbling. Her eyes had once again been drawn to the remaining member of the Cullen clan. He was now looking intently at a book that was in front of him, although his eyes did not look as though they were reading the words.

"I wouldn't bother with him if I were you." Lauren had come to stand behind Jessica's chair and was harshly trying to stare Bella down. "He refuses to take an interest in anyone at this school, I doubt his head is going to be turned by someone like you."

"That's Edward Cullen. He just reads, continuously. Although I don't blame him really; I'd hate to sit and watch my brother and sister making-out all day." Jessica seemed unfazed by Lauren's comments. "He doesn't seem interested in dating anyone though. I think he has _issues_ when it comes to stuff like that, if you get my drift." Bella really didn't understand what she was getting at, so decided to change the subject.

"So who exactly are they? You said they moved here together, are they one big family or something?"

"They're all adopted by Dr Carlisle Cullen and his wife. Emmett, Alice and Edward are all related and the Hale twins are obviously brother and sister. They all live together in this huge mansion in the middle of the woods. Their mother is, like, a recluse or something, she hardly ever leaves the house."

"My mum says she comes into the shop at least twice a week…" Angela meekly interjected, but was once again ignored.

"And their all, like, together; Jasper and Alice, Rosalie and Emmett. Even though Edward and Alice are in our year and the other three are in the year above. It's just weird."

"Why? Because of the age difference?" Bella asked, bemused.

"_No…_" Jessica gave Lauren a smirk as she answered Bella in a patronising tone. "Because they all live together! Its like incest or something."

"The couples aren't actually related, Jess. Their adopted, remember?" Angela rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, but still. I doubt my parents would let me live with my boyfriend. They're only seventeen and eighteen, its creepy."

"If their adopted, what happened to their parents?" Bella interjected before Jessica could start another tirade.

"No one knows. A few weeks back, Eric was sorting out the schools permanent records - as part of his detention - and apparently their files are practically empty! As in, they basically just state their name, age and the fact that they're adopted. It's like someone wiped them clean or something."

"Is that even possible?" Bella asked.

"Who knows. They're, like totally, rich. They probably bribed someone."

"Hey guys, we're heading outside! You coming or what?" Mike yelled at them across the table.

"Outside?!" Bella's voice was incredulous. "But it's freezing and it's raining!"

"Suck it up Arizona. Forks High might have a pretty lax security policy, but they still don't let you light-up inside." Mike laughed as he walked towards the door, Jessica and Lauren following close behind.

"Light-up?" Bella looked to Angela for information, as they followed the others.

"Welcome to Forks High." Was all the other girl sighed.

* * *

"The new-girl is soaking up the drama." Edward Cullen mumbled in a bored tone.

"What's the latest?" Emmett asked eagerly.

"Not much. 'We are all weirdoes'; Rosalie is a bitch, Jasper is a creep and I'm sexually incapable and/or gay - I'm not entirely sure what angle Jessica Stanley was going for on that one. The usual really. There wasn't even a hint of horror or tragedy."

"Well one out of three isn't bad." Rosalie smirked at her 'brother'.

"I'm not sure your supposed to be so proud of being a bitch, Rose." Edward returned her smirk.

"I was talking about you being into guys. It would explain a lot."

"Just because I'm not sexually attracted to you, doesn't mean I'm gay, Rosalie."

"I think the new-girl looks really friendly." Alice interrupted, before the two could start an argument.

"You think everyone looks friendly, Alice. You are far too trusting." Rosalie sighed, turning towards her 'sister'.

"And _you _are far too cynical. But that doesn't mean you're always right."

"We are just trying to look out for you midget." Emmett reached across to pat her head.

"Emmett Cullen! Do that again and you'll lose your arm!" Alice glared up at the taller boy, who merely laughed.

* * *

"Want one Bella?" Eric held the stick out to her, as she shook her head.

"No thanks, I don't smoke."

"Come on, you won't know unless you try. This stuff is good." His smile widened as he pushed it towards her again.

"Forget it Eric, Bella is just as boring as Ange." Jessica sighed as she snatched the stick for herself and light it.

Bella and Angela were huddled against the wall of the gym with the other standing in a circle in front of them.

"They can be such losers sometimes. But Ben's okay." Angela smiled as she watched the boy in question hand a light to Lauren, but not lighting anything of his own. "Would you like to go inside?"

"If that's alright?" Bella looked wistfully towards the doors as another shiver engulfed her.

"Of course! I've been waiting for someone to take my side. I didn't want to be the retard that went and hid in the library by herself; you are the perfect excuse."

"Glad to be of service." Bella laughed as the warm air of the canteen hit them. Her eyes searched for the Cullens, but their table was empty.

"Do you mind if we do go to the library though? I have some reading to do for an English assignment."

"Sure, I should probably get a start on the book as well…" Bella agreed. "Do you mind if I call you Angela? Or do you prefer Ange?"

"Angela, if you don't mind. Jess insist on shortening it, but Ange sounds too much like my grandmother." The pair laughed before choosing a table and pulling out their respective books, letting a companionable silence fall between them.

* * *

"Well, if you could just sit next to Mr Cullen, Miss Swan."

As she made her way towards the table, Bella could not believe her eyes or her luck. There he was, Edward Cullen; not only in her class, but also sitting next to her. As she took her seat, Bella threw him a tentative smile. But, as she flipped her hair over her shoulder, to look at him, his eyes hardened and he physically moved further away from her. He turned to stare towards the front; hardly even acknowledging her presence, except to gradually ease further away or flinch whenever she moved.

He continued to ignore her throughout the lesson and pushed out of his chair, a split second before the bell rang. He was out of the door before she even had a chance to stand. _What did I do?_

* * *

Edward Cullen had no problem sitting next to other people, he simply preferred not to. That way he could avoid their inane chatter and gossip. So far he had been fortunate. However, it would appear as though his luck had run out.

The situation was mildly irritating, but not beyond toleration. He would be perfectly polite and courteous, yet make it clear that he had no intentions of making friends with her. He was capable of small talk, after all he had done it thousands of times with patients at the hospital. However, as he turned to say hello, she flicked her hair towards him and smiled; and the situation suddenly became unbearable for him.

He could smell it. At once he realised that everything about her smelled like _it_. No matter what he did, Edward could not get away from the smell. Every movement she made would send another sniff of it surging his way. It was inescapable and he could feel himself slipping. What would he do? Attack her and demand to know where she had gotten it from? Search through her things until he found what he needed?

No, he couldn't. It would kill Esme if she found out. He had come too far to break now. But what was he supposed to do, with temptation only centimetres away? He could not face another second sitting next to her. He had to leave. But walking out of the classroom was not an option. He could not draw attention to himself; he couldn't get his family in trouble. There was only half an hour left of the lesson, he could make it. But what then? Could he face this everyday? How was he going to be strong enough not to give in to this torture?

As the lesson ended, he sprinted for the freedom of fresh air and the safety and solitude of his car.

* * *

"Edward mate, are you alright?" Emmett looked concerned at his pale sibling, as he slid into the passenger seat leaving the others to clamber into the back.

"Fine." Was all Edward said as he started the engine. In reality, he was far from fine. He was shaking and sweating with the effort of not losing control. His hands gripped the steering-wheel so tightly, that the car's movements became erratic, to match his breathing. He was so intent on controlling the beast that threatened to escape inside of him, that he failed to notice Emmett turning the wheel and directing his Volvo towards the lay-by, easing Edwards foot onto the break.

"Come on, out." Rosalie was suddenly standing beside his open door. "I'm not dying because your having some kind of mental breakdown!"

Then he was in the backseat, with Alice beside him holding his hand. Rosalie was driving, which was a small comfort; although they didn't always get along - she was the only sibling he would trust with his car.

Edward couldn't seem to get the smell out of his nostrils. He had thought he was past this, he thought he was strong enough. Clearly he wasn't ready. He needed help. He needed to get away from the smell, away from her. Now there was only one decision left to make; did he fight it or simply give in to the temptation?

At the moment he made his choice, Alice turned to him and, as though she had read his mind, spoke with that heartbroken tone that nobody could resist.

"Please don't do anything."

"I'm sorry." He whispered back and she turned to bury her head in Jasper's shoulder.

But her tears had no effect this time, the urge was too strong. Nor could Jasper's glare or Emmett's concerned eyes dissuade him. He had to go, there was nothing any of them could do.

* * *

"What happened?"

As soon as the car had stopped moving, Edward had run towards the house. Once in his room he quickly pulled out the half-packed suitcase he kept under his bed and began pulling open his drawers and searching for anything else he would need to take with him.

Edward had known she would follow. He had sensed it since their eyes had met through the Volvo's rear-view mirror. Unlike his other siblings', Rosalie's eyes had remained oddly blank. But he knew it only meant that she was saving her judgement for when they were alone; for when it couldn't upset the others.

"I asked you a question!"

"And I ignored it and moved on!" His voice was just as fierce as hers, cracking slightly at the edges with the effort of his restrain. The door clicked and for an irrational moment he dared to hope that she had left him in peace. But no, the world was never that kind.

"So your just going to leave without any explanation? Are you even coming back, or have you just finally had enough of us?!"

"For God's sake, Rosalie! Don't be so dramatic, of course I'm coming back. I just need some time."

"To do what?! Where exactly are you planning to go?"

"To Tanya's." He stopped the moment the words had left his mouth. There was no going back now; he had chosen to fight it.

"What the hell happened between lunch and the end of school, Edward?" She folded her arms and advanced towards him, her eyes wide. "Did you slip-up?!"

"No! Of course I didn't, Rose! This is Forks for Christ's sake, it pretty hard to slip-up here." He sat on the bed in frustration. Is that really how little she thought of him? Did she truly believe that, after all this time, he was capable of just throwing it all away?

"Then what Edward? Why else would you go to Tanya's?" Her voice softened slightly as she stood in front of him.

"The new-girl sat next to me, in biology. The smell was all over her clothes. The temptation was too much…I wanted it Rose; I needed it!"

"So that's it? A little temptation comes your way and you go running back to Tanya?!" Rosalie threw her hands in the air in frustration. "You know what Edward? You are a lot of things; your arrogant, your smug and your far too stubborn for your own good! But, hell, I have never thought of you as weak before."

"How am I weak, Rose?! I'm leaving before I do something that will tear this family apart, again!"

"No your not! Your running away! Your making someone else deal with your problems, so that you don't have to face them yourself!"

"I'm being mature enough to admit that I need help! That is not something I'd expect you to understand, Rosalie." He stood and pushed passed her and continued packing. There was silence for a few minutes, as they both composed themselves.

"Where does it end, Edward?" He turned to find her leaning against his bedroom wall, arms folded and staring straight into his eyes. "Are you just going to run away to New York every time you are slightly tempted? Because, if you do that, then you are never going to be able to face this on your own." He zipped and locked his case.

"I need her help. I can do it alone, I just need her this time." He picked up his case and took it towards the door.

"And you really think that going back to the city that started this whole mess - the city full of temptations - is really going to benefit you in some way?"

"It's not the place Rose, its her. Tanya's my sponsor, she understands this…_thing_. She can help."

"That's the problem, Edward; you can't help yourself." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before walking towards her brother and opening the door. "I won't tell Esme, you'll have to be man enough to face that one yourself."

"I can't. I have to go now, or I don't know what I'll do. I can't wait until she gets back from Port Angeles."

"Then you're a coward, as well as weak." She turned to stalk back down the hall.

"It will be better coming from you…" He whispered after her retreating form. But she could still hear him and turn with wild tear-filled eyes.

"Sure, let me break her heart why don't you!" Her voice was a screech that would echo in his mind for the entirety of his journey to Tanya's apartment in New York.

But he picked up his bag and stormed past his sister. He was just about to open the front door when her last words accosted him.

"You're a selfish bloody coward, Edward Cullen!"

He couldn't argue with her, he was sure she was right. But he just had to go.

* * *

"Please don't." Alice's voice broke as the words escaped her mouth. She had spent the last hour sitting on the bonnet of Emmett's jeep, waiting for Edward. The garage was cold and dark, but that wasn't anything new to her; in fact, she found the familiarity rather comforting. Besides, her head was too preoccupied too dwell on the aching chills that ran through her body.

_Edward is going. Edward is leaving._ Images of the last time were swirling through her mind, at a dizzying pace. Carlisle's worried features as he closed himself away in his study, shutting himself off from the rest of the family. Esme's tear-streaked face as she busied herself in the kitchen. Rosalie sitting by the window, watching and waiting; Emmett never far from her side.

Last time she hadn't understood. Her and Jasper were too new to the family back then, she hadn't known - hadn't loved - Edward like she did now. Alice didn't think she could stand to live through it all again; this time feeling all the pain for herself.

"Alice…I have to." Edward's eyes met hers, as he shut his bag in the backseat of his Volvo. "If I slip-up…Alice, that would hurt them more than if I left."

"I know." And she did. Alice hadn't really known him when he was in the grip of it all; when he was drowning in his own personal hell. But she had witnessed his recovery. It had been painful, and none of them were particularly eager to go through it again. "Just, come back soon…"

"I'll try." Edward opened the driver's door and took one last look at his 'sister' and best-friend.

"Rose is just worried about Esme…and you. She didn't mean it, you know that right?"

"Doesn't stop it being true though does it?" With that Edward Cullen climbed into his car and started the engine.

With a squeal of tyres he was gone. Leaving a reluctant Alice to face the debris he had left behind.

* * *

**A/N:** So, who can guess what Edwards problem is?

As always, reviews are greatly appreciated and are likely to make me work faster.

Thanks for reading.

xxx


	3. Epiphany

**A/N: **Shock, horror! I know, an update, isn't that just too crazy? Yeah so I apparently can't help myself with this story; I'm eager for you all to get to know my version of the Cullens more.

For those of you who are waiting on "The Damned" and "Wild Roses" I'm sorry that this is taking up my time. I really am still interested in WR, but it just takes an age to write (but I have half a chapter ready so there could be an update soon). As for my Supernatural fic, I'm just so impatient to get into the action, that I can't actually be bothered to write the intro chapters lol. But it will happen, I promise - it just might take a while.

**Disclaimer: **Trust me, if I owned Twilight it would definitely contain more Jasper, Alice, Rosalie and Emmett! Oh, and that whole 'Bella crying in the rain' thing, would probably have been scrapped too. What can I say, I prefer my leading ladies to have a little more self respect. So, long story short; not mine. However, their alll-human counterparts are mine for the taking!

Enjoy!!!!!!

* * *

_**Epiphany**_

"Grubs up." Tanya studied the grimace on Edward's face as she placed the pizza box on the coffee-table in front of them. "What?"

"Nothing. I just think I'm beginning to miss home cooked meals." He tentatively opened the box and frowned.

"Good."

"It's good that I've lost my appetite?" Now he was frowning at her, as she sat beside him on the sofa.

"Now, don't get mad…" She hesitated for a moment. "I sort of promised your sister that I'd 'stuff you so full of fast food that you were begging to go home'."

"So this is all Rosalie's idea?" Edward couldn't help the sigh that escaped his gritted teeth.

"She said that you didn't really like eating crap food…She really wants you home." Tanya gave him a tentative smile. "And she _really_ has a way with words. I mean, when she says I should do it or she'll skin me alive; I kind of believe her."

"Are you seriously trying to tell me that hard as nails Tanya Denali is scared of little old Rosalie Hale?" Edward smirked at his older friend and ducked just in time to miss the cushion she sent flying towards his head.

"Don't you look at me like that, Edward Cullen! Your just as scared of her as I am, or you wouldn't be ducking her calls." Edwards laughing features sobered immediately.

"I'm not afraid of my own sister. I just…don't want to have to listen to her nagging, that's all."

"Like I said, she wants you home." Tanya laid her a reassuring hand on his arm. "But I honestly don't mind you being here. Feel free to stay as long as you need to."

"Thanks Tanya. Maybe we could eat out tomorrow night, my treat? I'm going crazy being stuck in this apartment all the time." He lent back into the couch and turned his head to face her, as she removed her hand.

"I'm up for that." She hesitated again, turning her body to face him and clasping her hands in her lap. "Of course, if you plan on staying much longer, I might need some explanations…"

"Explanations?" Edward couldn't keep the frown of confusion away from his features.

"Yeah. Like why you suddenly turned up on my doorstep, five days ago, looking like hell? Not that I'm complaining or anything. Its always great to see you and you're more than welcome to stay on my couch, _whenever _you need to. But, it would be nice to be able to give my pissed-off roommates a straight answer when they want to know what the hell is going on."

"I should have explained myself, shouldn't I" He ran his hands over his face. "God, what is it about all of this that just turns me into an inconsiderate pig? How can I expect you to help me if I don't even tell you what's wrong?"

"Don't sweat it Eddy. I don't have a problem with blindly helping you. I mean, I knew it wasn't anything too serious. I could tell you hadn't slipped or anything, or you'd be climbing the walls by now…All I'm asking for is a nudge in the right direction." She smiled to reassure him. "Are we talking animal, mineral or vegetable here?"

"Now that I'm here, it all seems really pathetic…" Tanya's expectant smile didn't waver, so Edward took a deep breath and resigned himself to the humiliation of admitting his weakness. "This girl sat next to me in class and, well she smelt of…she smelt of marijuana…" He was cut off by Tanya shrill laugh. "What?"

"I'm sorry, I just don't know what I find funnier; the fact that you are actually still in school or that, of all things, it is the smell of pot that brings you down." She smirked at the frown, tugging at his eyebrows. "I mean, it's a bit 'little-league' don't you think?"

"I'm sorry, but this is Forks we're talking about. It doesn't exactly have a thriving drug trade!"

"And there's your problem. I told you that hiding away from any forms of temptation wasn't going to help. You need to build up a resistance; get used to being around it all again. It will make you stronger when it comes to restraining yourself."

"We didn't choose Forks because of me. We needed somewhere that was completely removed from the rest of the world; somewhere that was completely removed from the rest of us." Edward sighed and closed his eyes. "I wasn't expecting to feel like that…I don't think I was even craving the marijuana itself, just…anything."

"The need won't just go away." She looked sympathetically at the boy beside her. What she would give to take all of his pain away. "You're probably lucky that it was just weed, anything stronger and you might not of been able to resist."

"I almost didn't"

They sat in silence for a few minutes, each immersed in their own thoughts. Edward couldn't help but think of what might have happened if he had given in to his temptations. He had never really been into marijuana, but one taste of it and he was sure to slip back into harder habits. The mere thought of shooting up or doing a line of cocaine was just too delicious for him to even contemplate.

As his body reacted to his torturous thoughts - seeming to reach out towards the streets below and the many dealers he knew would be prowling them - Rosalie's voice echoed in the recesses of his mind. _"You're a selfish bloody coward!"_

His family would be missing him, worrying what he had run away to do. Not knowing would be the worst. The thought of their pain was enough to douse the flames of his cravings. Maybe it was time to be brave enough to stand on his own.

"Rose thinks I'm a coward for coming here. She thinks I should be able to deal with it on my own and that I'm just giving in to it; running away."

"Well, as far as I'm aware, Rosalie has never been addicted to anything in her life. She doesn't know what she's talking about." Tanya stated tartly. "If you need help, then you need help."

"But, should I be able to do it on my own? Is it time? Am I ready?"

"Nobody can answer that for you Eddy, only you know. But I will say this; if you don't have enough confidence in yourself to _believe _that you can beat it on your own, then you won't be able to. You have to have faith in yourself or there is no point in even trying."

"How did you know when you were strong enough to not have to rely on anyone else?"

"I suppose there is no harm in telling you now…" Tanya lent back against the arm of the sofa, so that she was fully facing her young friend, and pulled her legs up beneath her. "Do you remember where we first met?"

"Yeah, it was in those god-awful group meetings that my parole officer made me go to. You came up to talk to me during the 'juice and cookies' break." He smirked.

"Yeah, not even any caffeine for the addicts." She returned his smirk. "I was…drawn to you. When they were making us do the whole 'tell us about yourself' spiel, you flat-out refused to say anything. I thought you were as against the meetings as I was; I saw someone who thought they were as pointless as I did."

"I did…But that wasn't why I didn't say anything. What exactly was I supposed to say 'Hi, I'm Edward Cullen and I'm an addict. I started doing drugs because my family is screwed up and I couldn't handle seeing them cry anymore'?" He lent forward, his elbows on his knees, as his frustration got the better of him.

"I know that it wasn't exactly the easiest of situations for you. And you were loyal to them, you didn't betray their secrets."

"I told you."

"Only after you'd known me for months and I'd become your sponsor." She tried to console him, but Tanya knew that there was no talking Edward out of it once he had decided to beat himself up about something; especially when that something happened to be his family. "Anyway, when we first met I was only just a year sober and still very reliant on my sponsor. At that point I was still calling her every time my friends went out and I had to stay at home, just in case I was tempted to do anything. I'd spend hours on the phone to her, crying that I couldn't do it."

"I never knew that. You always seemed so…together."

"Yeah, I probable have those meetings to thank for that." Tanya couldn't help but chuckle at Edward's incredulous look. "Okay, so the touchy-feely self-help yoga crap _**(1)**_, wasn't exactly beneficial. But it did introduce me to other addicts - well, just you mainly, but you get the point - who understood what I was going through. I mean, most of my problems stemmed from the fact that none of my friends knew what I was trying to deal with. But after meeting you, whenever they went out, I could just call you and hang out instead. It helped."

"So that's what helped you do it on your own, being friends with other addicts?"

"I wish I could tell you it was that easy." Tanya started shifting in her seat. "You see, I still had to call my sponsor whenever I was tempted. No amount of movie watching with you, no matter how much fun it was, could actually get rid of the cravings. And then, one night, you knocked on my door and you were a complete mess. You were clearly on a come down and crying; you were hysterical. You just kept saying that it was you that was making them cry…"

"I remember. Esme had found me off my face. She was so upset and Carlisle was yelling. Esme wouldn't stop crying, all she could say was that they didn't know how to help me anymore. Carlisle was worried that one more hit on my record would have me taken away from them. And Rosalie…Rose was just so mad at me for hurting Esme. That night I realised that they had stopped crying from their own pain and were crying because of the pain I was causing them. I can't bear to see them upset, but actually being the one to cause their pain…it was killing me." He closed his eyes in an attempt to prevent his own tears from falling.

"I could see that. You were begging me to make it all go away; begging me to help you stop." It was Tanya's turn to hold back her tears. "I had to all but tie you to the bed, you were going crazy. I'd never seen anyone go through withdrawal before, it was so hard to watch. But I knew that it was what you wanted, even though it nearly killed me to put you through that."

"You did the right thing, Tanya. If it wasn't for you, I don't think I'd be here now." His reassurance caused a weak smile to worm its way onto her lips, before she shook her head and tried to compose herself.

"The point is; no matter how hard it was to see you like that. No matter how badly I wanted a fix - needed a fix - after having to tell Esme that her son was in pain, but she couldn't see him. I never gave in…and I never called my sponsor. As a matter of fact, since you knocked on my door, the only contact I've had with her is a card at Christmas and Birthdays; with a note telling her how well I'm doing."

"But why? If it was so stressful, how did you cope?" The desperation was clear in his voice now.

"Don't get me wrong, those were some of the most trying nights of my life. But seeing you get through it; being the one that you were relying on for support. It helped. It was like I realised that if I could get somebody else through it, then I was strong enough to do it for me. It gave me the faith and confidence I needed in myself." Her light smile was back as she searched his eyes with hers. "You saved me Edward Cullen."

"So helping me, helped you?"

"Yes. I'm just sorry that I can't give you the determination you gave me."

"You have already done more than enough for me Tanya." He took her hand in reassurance. "You are a truly great friend."

"You know that I'm always here." Her smile was bright, but Tanya couldn't help but feel her heart drop at his words.

"Well I suppose I had better get my stuff packed up." He stood and stretched his limbs. Tanya was on her feet in a second.

"You're leaving?"

"I should get back to my family. I think making them wait a week is long enough." Tanya followed him in to the bathroom, as he began collecting his things.

"You think your ready?"

"I've got to get the faith from somewhere, right?" Edward smiled at her as he packed the last of his things into his bag. "Besides, your roommates will probably be glad to see the back of me."

"But it's late. Surely you don't want to drive home tonight?" He stopped and considered her for a moment.

"I suppose I should wait until the morning. If you don't mind me staying another night, that is?" Tanya's face brightened again.

"Morning? So we have some time?"

"Yeah." He chuckled. "We have some time. What did you have in mind?"

"Well I was thinking something along the lines of an 'ultimate movie marathon'" He tucked her under his arm and they both sat down on the couch. "But first we have to get rid of this damn pizza, I'm pretty sick of the stuff myself!"

* * *

"Edward is home!!!"

He had barely made it through the front door when a tiny black blur, also known as Alice Cullen, launched herself at him. With her arms wrapped tightly around his neck and her face buried in his shoulder, Alice's feet had left the ground, leaving Edward to support the full weight of his hysterical sister.

"Let the man breathe, Alice." Emmett's chuckle came from across the room, where he and Jasper had previously been sitting on the couch, watching some form of sport. However, despite his brothers' best efforts, Alice only tightened her hold on him.

"Edward?" It was Esme's quiet voice that finally caused Alice to let go and slide into Jasper's arms instead.

Esme was coming out of the kitchen, which hardly surprised Edward considering she always cooked when she was worried. Her face was paler than usual and the dark rings under her eyes clearly showed the effects of a weeks worth of stress. It was an unusual sight to see Esme Cullen without any make-up on, however, the red tinge of her eyes showed that she had forgone the decoration in favour of her constantly tearful state.

"Hey mum…" Edward dropped his bag and made his way towards the sobbing woman. She ran forwards and met him in the middle, throwing her arms around him.

"Oh Edward…"

"I'm sorry mum. I'm really sorry." He mumbled into her shoulder.

"Its fine. You're home now, that's all that counts." She took his face in her hands and studied him carefully. "Let me look at you…You look pale, are you tired? Are you hungry?"

"I'm fine, Esme. I'm just glad to be home." She kissed him on the forehead and wrapped her arms around him once more. "I missed you…"

"Never do that again, do you hear me? Anything could have happened to you, and I wouldn't even have had a chance to say goodbye." Her voice choked as fresh rolls of tears overcame her.

"I thought I heard a familiar voice." Carlisle's unmistakable tones twisted across the room as he descended the stairs.

"Carlisle…" Edward began, as he watched his father's approach over Esme shoulder.

"I know." Carlisle held up his hand to halt Edward's explanation and then soothingly ran it down his wife's back, gently pulling her away from the boy. "Welcome home son." He grasped Edwards hand and they quickly embraced.

"Well…" Esme wiped her eyes as they pulled apart. "This calls for a celebration. I'm going to make your favourite, Edward." Edward was all ready to insist that she needed go to so much trouble, but his father stilled him.

"That sounds wonderful, Esme." Carlisle smiled at Edward, silently communicating that she needed to do this and he was not to object. "Why don't I help you?" As his wife nodded, he tucked her under his arm and lead her towards the kitchen.

"Welcome home mate." Emmett clapped him on the shoulder.

"Good to have you back." Jasper's hand clasped his other shoulder, just before the two boys tackled him to the ground in a shower of brotherly affection.

"Get off you freaks." Edward laughed as the three stood up. Alice came and put her arms around his waist.

"We really did miss you, you know?" She stood on her tip-toes and kissed him on the cheek, before moving to stand in Jaspers arms once again.

"Seriously dude, you know how to get attention. Its been real crazy around here." Emmett smirked at his younger brother.

"Yeah. You know, we were going to offer to help you with your bags and stuff. But, like Em said, you caused some problems with your little 'disappearing act.' So we figured that the least you could do is unpack for yourself." Jasper chuckled and patted Edward on the shoulder, again, before pulling Alice closer and walking back towards the couch.

"Consider it repayment for all the crap we've had to deal with, in the last few days…I really don't envy you mate." Emmett looked truly sincere as he smiled, shook his head and went to join Jasper and Alice.

* * *

It did feel good to be home. That cold and empty feeling, that had engulfed Edward the moment he realised he wasn't strong enough to resist the temptation on his own, had finally dissipated. Alice and Esme's tearful welcome had tugged at his heart, yet had also filled him with the warmth that had truly made him feel at home. Jasper and Emmett's casual attitude and teasing had made the whole situation that more bearable. Yet, however comforting Carlisle's words had been, Edward knew that the father and son reunion was far from over. That just left one welcome that was yet to come.

As Edward unpacked the last of his dirty laundry, the sound of his door clicking shut hardly surprised him.

"You know, you should really start wearing those ridiculous heels of your's indoors. That way I'll have an advanced warning when you decide to sneak up on me."

"Welcome back." Rosalie's voice sounded far from sincere.

"What, no hug? That hurts Rose." Then again, Edward's own sarcastic tone did a good job of rivalling hers.

"Considering that you look halfway decent, I'll assume that you're still sober."

"Good old Rosalie; straight to the point, as usual." He turned to glare at her. "Of course I'm sober! I could never go back to that again."

For her part, Rosalie's glare far outweighed Edward's. But, being her brother had taught him how to recognise her signs of weakness. Her make-up was heavier than usual, which usually meant that she had re-applied it several times over the course of the day. This could generally be attributed to her feeling uncomfortable, however, in this circumstance Edward knew that it probably meant she had been crying. Her hair was pulled into a loose ponytail and her stained denim jeans and oversized shirt - probably one of Emmett's old ones - showed him that she had been working on her car, which was definitely a sign that she was feeling the affects of stress.

Edward was not naive enough to even consider that her stress had anything to do with him. He knew it was more likely that Esme's troubled mood, over the last week, had caused Rosalie's anxiety. As mother and daughter the pair were closer than, perhaps even, Carlisle and Edward were; he could understand her hating him for causing Esme so much grief.

"Well good." She folded her arms across her chest. "Tanya has an attitude problem."

"That's funny, she said the same thing about you." He threw his last pair of socks into the laundry basket, across the room, and sat down on his bed. "You shouldn't have called her Rose."

"Well, what was I supposed to do? You were avoiding my calls. For all I knew, you could have been dead in a ditch somewhere." Only Rosalie Hale could discuss something as serious as her sibling's demise, with such a matter-of-fact tone. Clearly she thought such a topic to be rather mundane.

"Oh, and you were worried about my safety, were you?"

"I was worried about Esme. Losing you would have killed her." She cast her eyes down and fell back against the wall.

"You really are a bitch, Rose." His chuckle was cold as he shook his head.

"Sticks and stones, Edward." Rosalie's smile was as light as it was false, as she lifted her eyes to meet her brother's. "So what made you come home?"

"You are something else, Rose, truly. You spend all week insisting that I come home and now that I have, you're going to interrogate me?"

"I'm just curious to know whether you're done being a coward. Or whether we can expect you to be running off again any time soon?"

"You have no idea how hard it is to overcome an addiction." Edward's eyes furrowed as he remembered the constantly aching hole in his chest. It's severity had lessened overtime, but it still remained, slowly burning away under the surface. Sometimes he doubted it would ever go away. "Tanya and I talked about the whole situation. She helped me realised what I needed to do to beat this by myself."

"And what would that be?"

"None of your business, Rose." Edward stood and smirked at his sister, before puling fresh bundles of clothes out of his drawers and packing them in his - now empty - suitcase. When he had everything he needed he closed and locked it again, sliding it back into position under his bed.

"I won't hold my breath then. Especially as you're still insisting on keeping your bags half-packed." The venom was clear in her voice.

"That doesn't mean anything, Rose. I know you haven't failed to notice the backpack Emmett caries everywhere with him. Five changes of clothes, a wash-bag and enough cash to live comfortably for at least a month, isn't it?"

"How dare you!" She was in his face now, pushing him in the chest with surprising strength. Edward tumbled backwards onto the bed, realising that he had struck a cord. "Emmett would never leave me!"

"Of course not, Rose!" He scrambled to his feet and tried to place a hand on her shoulder, only to have it violently slapped away. "You know I didn't mean that! I was just trying to point out that we all need our comforts. Just because Emmett and I keep a bag ready for us to leave…it doesn't mean that either of us intend to use it."

"But _you _did, didn't you?" Rosalie folded her arms again and turned away from him. "Twice now Edward. You've left us, twice!"

"I won't again, I promise." This time she allowed his hand to rest on her shoulder.

"For your sake, you better not."

Then she was gone, leaving Edward to bathe in the cold chills of her implied threat. Maybe Tanya was right, perhaps he was a little afraid of Rosalie Hale.

* * *

"Hello. Its Bella, isn't it?" The girl next to him looked astounded at the hand he was offering her. "I'm Edward Cullen."

"I…I know…" She hesitantly shook Edward's hand as he smiled warmly. He had not failed to notice her wide eyes, as she had entered their biology classroom to find his seat - which had remained vacant for a week - was once again occupied.

"Of course you do. I forgot how fast gossip travels in this place." The bitter edge was quite evident in his tone.

"You and your family are quite…conspicuous."

"They seem to prefer it that way." He rolled his eyes and searched for a safer opening topic of conversation. "How are you enjoying the weather here in Forks? It must be a bit of a shock, coming from Phoenix."

"The weather?" Bella couldn't stifle the disbelieving laugh that escaped her lips. "Your seriously going to talk about the weather?"

"I suppose I am." His own laugh made her heart falter for a beat. "What would _you _rather talk about?"

"You were gone…for a week. You just vanished." Bella's body was turned away from him, but her eyes studied his reaction. Edward's body tensed; this was dangerous territory.

"I, um…I had some personal matters to attend to - out of town." He cleared his throat. "Its not really that important."

"So it wasn't because of me then?" She still was not looking at him, which made it rather hard for Edward to read her.

"Why…why would you think it had anything to do with you?"

"I sat next to you and you looked like it caused you physical pain…and then you were gone…" Bella's cheeks darkened slightly. "It…it seemed a logical conclusion at the time."

"I…well…Do you mind if we discuss this later?" Edward looked around the classroom, as the teacher arrived. "Somewhere more private?"

"Um, okay." She glanced at him again before looking back towards the paper in front of her, confusion and embarrassment clouding her mind.

"Um…So, what made you move to Forks?" Edward couldn't help but notice the small smile that flit across her lips.

* * *

"So, what was it you wanted to talk about?"

They were standing by Bella's car, at the end of the day. Edward had half hoped she would have forgotten the vague conversation they had had earlier. On the way back home from Tanya's, this had all seemed like such a good idea. Yet now, after spending an entire lesson in pleasant conversation with Bella Swan, he was reluctant to start a confrontation. But he had to. It wasn't as though he could ever be friends with her. This was about him and moving on for the sake of his family. He had to stop being a coward.

"Look, Bella…" He sighed at her innocently expectant eyes. "I…I don't know how deep you're in; whether it was just a one time thing or if it's something that you do a lot. But I wanted to tell you that its not worth it…At the moment it might seem like a harmless way to let off steam, but believe me it can become a habit quicker than you'd realise."

"Edward, what exactly are you warning me off here? I'm a little confused." Her bemused expression did nothing to ease the tension he felt at the situation. How comes Tanya could make 'the speech' seem so effortless? _This is just plain uncomfortable._

"I smelt the smoke on you Bella; the Marijuana…I think you should stop, before you get addicted…"

"Smoke?" She couldn't help the giggle that propelled out of her mouth as realisation dawned on her. "Edward, I don't smoke. I was just standing outside with the others when they were doing it…Wait, did you say Marijuana?" Her last sentence was lilted with surprise.

"Yeah, our first biology lesson you reeked of pot. Didn't you know that?"

"Um, no. I wouldn't…I mean, I've never…I guess I have no idea know what it smells like…" Bella's cheeks flamed in embarrassment.

"So you don't smoke it?" For some reason, Edward's relief was making him feel slightly light-headed.

"No, of course not. My dad's the chief of police…I'd never do drugs." Her blush relented at the sight of his beaming smile. "I guess you could smell it on me because I was standing with the others…So they were smoking marijuana?…That makes so much more sense."

"Yeah it does. I always wondered why Jessica Stanley brought Fabreeze to school with her." The more he thought about it, the more things started to add up. _Who would have thought there was a secret pot-culture blossoming right here in Forks._

"I guess I should borrow it if I ever feel the need to freeze my ass off with them again. Don't want Charlie jumping to conclusions…" Bella cut herself off before she began to ramble. "Trust me, I have no intention of joining them in their habit."

"Good to hear. Because, you know, I only wondered because my dad's a doctor and I…Yeah, the health risks and stuff…" Edward had to cut off his own ramblings, as he scrambled to cover his tracks. He couldn't risk anybody in Forks finding out about his past. "Um...So...I'll see you around, Bella." As he turned to leave, Bella couldn't help but panic at the sudden loss.

"Edward! Wait…"

"Um…Yeah?" His stiffened posture, as he turned back to face her, told Bella that they were back to being awkward again.

"So that's it? 'You don't smoke pot, well done. I'll see you around.'"

"Basically, yeah…"

"I just, I just thought that…" The pink was tingeing her cheeks again. "I actually enjoyed talking to you today. I thought we were getting along…Oh, it doesn't even matter; I was just being stupid."

"Look, Bella." Edward couldn't help but shift uncomfortably. He should have walked away already, but he just couldn't leave her looking so desolate. "Its nothing personal. Its just that…my family, we don't really mix. They wouldn't like me being friends with someone outside of the group."

"And you always do what your family says?"

"Its difficult to explain…We're close; we stick together."

"I'm not saying that you should completely ditch them…I just don't want to go back to how it was last week. Can't we just talk in biology?" She could see his eyes darting towards the family that was waiting for him, across the parking lot. "You wouldn't even have to talk to me outside of class…I'd just rather not have to sit through that awkward silence again. I don't want you to go back to hating me…"

"I don't hate you Bella. I don't even know you." Edward couldn't help his heart melting at her miserable expression. "I just…Well maybe it wouldn't hurt to get to know you." The hope that light up her eyes, tugged at the corners of Edward's mouth. "Fine, I give in! We'll be friends in biology, but I can't promise anymore than that."

* * *

"Do you really think that cosy-ing up to a junkie is a good idea?" Of course Rosalie was the first to berate him, when he climbed into the car.

"False alarm actually." Edward couldn't keep the smile of relief from his face. "Bella Swan has never done, and neither does she intend to do, any sort of drugs." The perfectly manicured swat to the back of his head was unexpected, and surprisingly painful. "What the hell was that for?!"

"I'm glad you find it all so amusing! Esme hasn't stopped crying for an entire week all because your buddy 'doesn't actually do drugs'! Do you have any idea what your little 'misunderstanding' did to this family?!"

It was official; Edward Anthony Mason Cullen was home at last. And it felt good…honestly.

* * *

_**(1)**_ - Sorry guys, couldn't help but put that Supernatural quote in there, it just fit too well!

A/N: So there it is! Yes, Edward is a recovering addict. But no, the rest of the family's problems have yet to be revealed. You'll have to stay tuned for their stories.

As always, reviews are greatly appreciated (as those of you who are reading 'Wild Roses' will know; I am not beyond shameless begging to get attention)

Thanks for reading.

xxx


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